Open enrollment
Updated for plan year 2026
In plain terms
Open enrollment is the once-a-year window when anyone can enroll in, renew, or switch a marketplace health plan without needing a qualifying life event. On HealthCare.gov it has typically run from November 1 through January 15 for coverage the following year, though federal rules have tightened the deadlines starting with 2027 coverage, and state-run marketplaces can set their own dates. Outside this window, you generally need a special enrollment period to make a change.
A plain example
During open enrollment you compare plans for next year and switch from a bronze plan to a silver one to capture cost-sharing reductions you now qualify for. Enroll by the December deadline and your new plan starts January 1; enroll in the window's final days and coverage may instead begin February 1, depending on your marketplace's rules.
Why it matters
Open enrollment is the one time you can change plans for any reason, so it's the moment to re-check your subsidy, your network, and whether your tier still fits. Skip it and you're generally locked into your current plan, or locked out of coverage, until a qualifying event or next year.
A common point of confusion
Open enrollment dates aren't the same everywhere or every year. State-run marketplaces can extend their windows, and federal deadlines are shortening for 2027 coverage, so the dates that applied last year may not apply now. Always check your own marketplace.